Artificial tree



Oct. 31, 1933. A. G. HOWARD ARTIFICIAL TREE Filed July 11, 1932 v nuentor (lrthur 40W G.Housard alter-neg sembled position. The curved ends project slightly through the triuik so that when taking the tree apart a slight blow on the curved ends will suffice to loosen the legs.

In providing for the boughs I preferably form the trunk with several series of perforations, these series being designated herein at A, B, C, D, E, F and G. The holes of the upper series are somewhat smaller than those of the lower because of the fact that in the building of a tree shorter boughs will naturally be used near the top, while the larger boughs with thicker butts will be used at the bottom. While I have chosen to describe the perforations as being arranged in series, a condition which aids in thebuilding of a symmetrical tree, yet the perforations need not necessarily be arranged exactly as shown in Fig. 3.

Each series may be made of four'pairs o'f perforations and I willv set forth the manner in which the holes of one series are made and how they hold their respective bo'ughs. As seen in Fig. 3, the series A is provided with two upper pairs of perforations and also with two lower pairs. The upper pair comprises elongated openings 30 and 31, and these openings are above non-circular openings, 32 and 33, respectively. The openings 30 and 31 are preferably of greater height than breadth, and in like mannenthe holes32 and 33 are preferably formedhwith straight vertical side, but all of the perforations may be circular if desired. The elongated form prevents tearing of the boughs when assembling the tree. The lower half of the series A comprises similar'elcngated openings 35and 36 and semi-elliptical, or the like, openings 37 and 38.

It will be seen that the series comprise four pairs, each pair having, an upper and a lower perforation. For: certain aspects of my invention it may be considered that the pairs 30 and 32 together with 31 and 33 form a sub-series which provide for holding two boughs. It is to be understood that when four pairs are used in a series the boughswill extend substantially around thetrunk and be spaced approximately 90, but the manner of holding the boughs together can be understood from 'a consideration of a sub-series such as already named.

The pairs 30-32 andv 3l-33 are preferably spaced approximately 180, while theother pair consisting of 35-37 and 36-38, being also spaced apart 180 from each other, lie midway between the pairs of the first sub-series.

' After the plate has been bent to conical. form 'assuggested in Figs. 1 and 2 the circular hole 30 will lie substantially opposite the semi-circular hole 33 and in like manner the hole 31 will be diametrically opposite the semi-circular hole 33. Two boughs 40 and ll are then selected and their ends slabbed, as at 42 and 43. respectively, the plane or cut surfaces being placed so that they will be vertical when the bough is in the position desired. The two wedge shaped ends I of the boughs are then inserted, as suggested in Fig. 5, through the upper circular openings of a sub-series, and the lower or small ends of the wedges are projected downwardly to pass through the diametrically opposite semi-circular opening of the same subseries. The semi-circular openings assist somewhat in preventing angular movement of the boughs, but the engagement of the flat surfaces is relied upon chieflyto prevent turning of the boughs. If the wedge butts of the boughs are forced into the trunk tightly the ends will be bowed somewhat and placed under a bending strain such as will hold the branches tightly in place. Y

The vertical distance between the holes of any pair may be chosen to give the desired upward inclination of the branches, and this distance'may be less with the upper series, G and F for instance, than with the lower series A and B. In this way the diminishing diameter will not cause a difference in angular relation of the branches such as would be the case if the distance between the perforations of the pairs remained constant throughout the length of the trunk. In this connection, however, I do not wish to be limited to the arrangement of the holes of a'pair so far as the angle of the branches is concerned.

As shown in 4 the legs have been taken apart and inserted in the larger end of the trunk for purposes of shipping.

In the modif ed form of the invention, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, I may use twotrunk sections, the upper section telescoping onto the lower and be ing small enough to fit within the largerbottoin section. As shown in Fig. 7 I have set forth upper and lower sections and 51, respectively, the lower section being provided with slots 52 for the legs and a bead to position the upper section. The latter is so formed that its largest exterior diameter is less than the largest interior diameter of the lower section, but is still sufficiently large to receive the legs for shipping purposes as shown in Fig. 8. As seen in Fig. 'l the upper trunk section is shorter than the lower section so that it may fit into the latter and provide room for the legs, as shown in Fig.8.

The length of the splice 80, Fig. l, is less than the distance between adjacent series of perforations to avoid interruption of the correct spacing of the limbs or boughs. The latter will be distributed and assembled on the upper section as well as the lower to imitate a tree in a manner similar to the preferred form. The upper trunk disassembled. Furthermore'the trunkis so pro portioned with respect tothe curved ends of the legs that the latter may be nested within the trunk for purposes of shipping. It will also be seen-that I have provideda simpleand durable form of artificial tree having a hollow sheet metal trunk. formed preferably as a shell and arranged with oppositepairs ofholes," the upper member of each pair being large enough to re.- ceive the full'diameter of a bough, and thelower member of each pair receiving the reduced end of the branch and being so placed asto force the slabbed or wedged ends of the boughs together. The flat surfaces of the boughsbrace each other to prevent angular turningfwith respect to the trunk so that any ornaments or the like which are added to the tree can be held in place without danger of falling. The pairs of each group relating to an interconnecting pair of branches are preferably diametrically opposite each other so as to balance the tree, and the lowermember of each pairmay, if desired, be formed to receive the reduced or wedge shaped end of the branches, although this latter featureis notessential.

Having thus described my inventionit' will be" seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the. art without departing from the spirit and scope. of the invention and Ido not wish to be limited to thedetails herein disclosed, but what Iclaim is:

1. In an artificial tree, a pair of branches each having a flat surface, and means to hold the flat surfaces in engagement with each other to prevent angular movement of the branches.

2. In an artificial tree, a trunk, a pair of branches, each branch having a flat surface and means on the trunk to hold the flat surface .of i

the branches against each other to prevent turning of the branches.

3. In an artificial tree, a trunk, and a pair of branches the butt ends of which are wedge shaped, each end having a substantially fiat surface, said ends extending through the trunk with the flat surfaces in engagement with each other to prevent angular movement of the branches.

4; In an artificial tree, a hollow metallic trunk having diametrically opposite pairs of perfora tions, one perforation of one pair being above a perforation of the other pair, and 'a pair of branches each extending through an upper perforation down through the trunk and'into the diametrically opposite perforation, and interengaging surfaces on the' branches to prevent turn-' ing of the latter on their axes.

5. In an artificial tree, a trunk having diametrically opposite pairs of perforations, each pair having an upper and a lower perforation, and a pair ,of branches each having a wedge shaped end with a substantially flat surface, each branch extending through the upper perforation of one pair and the lower perforation of the opposite pair, the branches being held so that the fiat surfaces are in engagement with each other to prevent angular movement of the branches.

6. In an artificial tree, a hollow trunk having diametrically oppositepairs of perforations, each pair comprising an upper and a lower perforation, and a pair of branches for the perforations, each branch passing through an upper perforation, and across the trunk into the opposite lower perforation, said perforations located tocause the branches to engage and brace each other.

'7. In an artificial tree, a hollow metallic trunk, said trunk having equally spaced slots around the periphery thereof at substantially the same level,

and a plurality of supporting legs, one for each slot, each leg having a curved endextending through two adjacent slots and having holding engagement with two other legs.

8. In an artificial tree, a hollow metallic trunk, said trunk having a series of substantially equally spaced openings around the periphery thereof,

and a plurality of supporting legs each having a curved end which extends through one of the openings, through a portion of the interior of the trunk, and out of another opening, each opening having portions of two legs therein so that eachleg engages two other legs and is frictionally I held inposition thereby.

spaced openings around the periphery thereof,

and a plurality of supporting legs. each having a curved end which extends through one of the openings, through a portion of the interior of the trunk, and out of another opening, each opening having portions of two legs therein so that each leg engages two other legs and is frictionally held in position thereby, said legs being proportioned so they can be nested within thetrunk.

11. In an artificial tree, a hollow metallic upper trunk section, said trunk section having a series of substantially equally spaced openings around the periphery'thereof, and a plurality of'supporting legs each having a curved end which portion of the interior of the trunk section, and out of another opening, each opening having portions of two legs therein so that each leg engages two other legs and is held frictionally in position thereby, and a secondupper trunk section supported by the first trunk section, said legs and said upper trunk section being so proportioned that they can be nested within the lower trunk section.

-- ARTHUR G. HOWARD.

extends through one of the openings, through a 

